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Battle of Bothawui IV (25 ABY)
The Fourth Engagement of the Battle of Bothawui took place at the beginning of Nelona in 44 ISY/25 ABY. Imperial forces had earlier retreated to hold position over the Imperial stronghold outside Holm'starn, preventing orbital assault on the Imperial stronghold position. The attack by the Republic Fleet occurred simultaneously with a massive aquatic assault on the fortified beachheads near Holm'starn. The Imperial fleet held a tenuous position - while Holm'starn's shields could withstand a sustained orbital bombardment the lighter field shielding protecting the Imperial beach-heads could not. Yielding the battle space over Holm'starn would have ensured the annihilation of Imperial forces on the ground. The Republic held a distinct advantage, having captured the Victory II-class Star Destroyer Executioner in the previous engagement, and Imperial forces were reliant upon Holm'starn's Ion Cannon emplacement to balance the scales. This essentially locked the Imperial forces in position - unable to contest space outside of its range, they had only two choices - abandon the system, or dig and defend. Progression The Desolator and Annhilator ''took up lateral positions ahead of a picket-line consisting of Lancer Frigates, Carrack Light Cruisers and Besh'lok-class Patrol Craft. The Imperial position was screened by six squadrons of Imperial TIE/ln Fighters to intercept Republic strike-fighter and bomber squadrons The Republic deployed the full measure of its available forces - strike squadrons flew ahead of the Republic battle line, led by the X-Wings were supported by surviving Y-Wings and B-Wings and were screened by a nearly full strength squadron of A-Wing interceptors. The Mon Calamari Star Cruiser ''Deliverance anchored the Republic capital line, flanked by the trailing Republic Assault Frigates Derlin and Tauntaun. As soon as the Republic forces entered into range, the Holm'starn Ion Cannon disabled the Tauntaun and continued to suppress the vessel throughout the battle. TIE fighters engaged the advancing waves of Republic strike fighters, successfully locking them into a hard fought melee. With the scales balanced, the Annhilator and Desolator exchanged long range fire with the Deliverance to minimal effect until the Derlin emerged from the Deliverance's shadow to attempt to flank the Desolator Having baited the Deliverance's defenders from safety and unable to counter Mon Calamari shielding with the firepower available to them, the Imperial star destroyers surpressed the Derlin ''with coordinated fire while the ''Desolator undertook a risky high-speed flanking maneuver on the Deliverance ''while the Annihilator Despite suffering heavy damage to its engines, the ''Desolator broke through the Republic line and coming about, disabled the Deliverance with a broadside of ion fire as it tried to counter-maneuver.. Briefly paralysed, the Deliverance found itself trapped in a pincer movement between the Desolator and Annhilator whose forward batteries destroyed the star cruiser. Almost immediately thereafter, the Derlin withstood a withering broadside from both Star Destroyers and breached the Desolator's reactor with retaliatory fire, destroying it instantly with a loss of all hands. Resolution News of a full-scale Imperial retreat on the surface reached the Republic fleet shortly after the loss of both command ships. With the Derlin's shields failing, the Tauntaun disabled down-range of the Annihilator's heavy batteries and Captain Cen's condition unknown command of the battle fell to Captain Brand, who promptly negotiated a cessation of hostilities in return for allowing the Empire an orderly withdrawal from the system.